Five Public policy in the provinces: more powering; less puzzling
-
Ken Rasmussen
Abstract
This chapter examines the role politics plays in the activities of provincial public servants, and how this requires provincial public services to provide both politically sensitive and administratively effective advice. Provincial public servants are torn between their roles as professional analysts and the pressures of a complex system of networked government. Rather than putting the emphasis on “speaking truth to power” they are more often concerned with “making sense together” by encouraging learning between policy actors and elected officials. In this regard, provincial public servants have a larger role in governance when compared to their federal counterparts. That is, provincial public servants are not only assemblers of facts or gatherers of data, but rather tend to be deeply engaged with relevant communities in a process of refining and redefining provincial public policy.
Abstract
This chapter examines the role politics plays in the activities of provincial public servants, and how this requires provincial public services to provide both politically sensitive and administratively effective advice. Provincial public servants are torn between their roles as professional analysts and the pressures of a complex system of networked government. Rather than putting the emphasis on “speaking truth to power” they are more often concerned with “making sense together” by encouraging learning between policy actors and elected officials. In this regard, provincial public servants have a larger role in governance when compared to their federal counterparts. That is, provincial public servants are not only assemblers of facts or gatherers of data, but rather tend to be deeply engaged with relevant communities in a process of refining and redefining provincial public policy.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of figures and tables vii
- Notes on contributors ix
- Editors’ introduction to the series xv
- Policy analysis in Canada: an introduction 1
-
The profession of policy analysis in Canada
- The policy analysis profession in Canada 27
- The “lumpiness” thesis revisited: the venues of policy work and the distribution of analytical techniques in Canada 49
-
Policy analysis at different levels of Canadian governments
- Policy analysis in the federal government: conditions and renewal initiatives in the Trudeau era 71
- Public policy in the provinces: more powering; less puzzling 99
- Policy analysis in local government 121
-
Policy analysis in the executive and legislative branches of Canadian government
- Policy analysis and the central executive 147
- Policy capacity and recruiting expertise in public services: acquiring talent in evolving governance environments 165
- The diminished invisible private service: consultants and public policy in Canada 187
- Canadian legislatures, public policy and policy analysis 211
- Commissions of inquiry and policy analysis 233
-
Policy analysis outside government: parties, interest groups and the media
- The policy capacity of political parties in Canada 257
- Any better ideas? Think tanks and policy analysis in Canada 275
- Policy analytical capacity and Canadian business associations 297
- Transforming governance patterns: challenges and opportunities for voluntary sector policy capacity 317
- Policy analysis and advocacy in the Canadian labour movement: when the force of argument is not enough 331
- Media and public policy 351
- From policy analysis to policy analytics 369
-
Pedagogy and policy analysis in the Canadian university system
- Academics and public policy 395
- Public policy studies in North America and Europe 421
-
Conclusion
- Trends and directions in Canadian policy analysis and policy advice 449
- Index 467
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of figures and tables vii
- Notes on contributors ix
- Editors’ introduction to the series xv
- Policy analysis in Canada: an introduction 1
-
The profession of policy analysis in Canada
- The policy analysis profession in Canada 27
- The “lumpiness” thesis revisited: the venues of policy work and the distribution of analytical techniques in Canada 49
-
Policy analysis at different levels of Canadian governments
- Policy analysis in the federal government: conditions and renewal initiatives in the Trudeau era 71
- Public policy in the provinces: more powering; less puzzling 99
- Policy analysis in local government 121
-
Policy analysis in the executive and legislative branches of Canadian government
- Policy analysis and the central executive 147
- Policy capacity and recruiting expertise in public services: acquiring talent in evolving governance environments 165
- The diminished invisible private service: consultants and public policy in Canada 187
- Canadian legislatures, public policy and policy analysis 211
- Commissions of inquiry and policy analysis 233
-
Policy analysis outside government: parties, interest groups and the media
- The policy capacity of political parties in Canada 257
- Any better ideas? Think tanks and policy analysis in Canada 275
- Policy analytical capacity and Canadian business associations 297
- Transforming governance patterns: challenges and opportunities for voluntary sector policy capacity 317
- Policy analysis and advocacy in the Canadian labour movement: when the force of argument is not enough 331
- Media and public policy 351
- From policy analysis to policy analytics 369
-
Pedagogy and policy analysis in the Canadian university system
- Academics and public policy 395
- Public policy studies in North America and Europe 421
-
Conclusion
- Trends and directions in Canadian policy analysis and policy advice 449
- Index 467
